Cyberwarfare

News about Cyberwarfare, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Mar. 20, 2015

Adm Michael S Rogers, head of both National Security Agency and United States Cyber Command, tells Senate committee US must improve its ability to engage in cyberattacks, as deterrent against enemy nations. MORE

Feb. 26, 2015

Editorial examines implications of NSA document showing escalation of cyberattacks between United States and Iran, with the latter significantly stepping up its capabilities in recent years; calls for acceleration of international efforts to negotiate limits on the cyberarms race, which is presenting ever greater dangers to privacy and vital institutions. MORE

Feb. 23, 2015

Newly revealed National Security Agency document shows sharp increase in use of cyberweapons by United States and Iran against each other, both for espionage and sabotage. MORE

Feb. 17, 2015

Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab says United States has discovered method to permanently embed surveillance and sabotage tools in computers in countries like Iran, Russia, Pakistan and China; points out many of tools are designed to run on computers that are not connected to Internet, and lets US intelligence agencies unlock scrambled contents unnoticed. MORE

Feb. 11, 2015

Pres Obama's homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco says administration will open center designed to rapidly weigh and deter cyberattacks on United States. MORE

Feb. 2, 2015

Study conducted by computer security firm FireEye finds that hackers aiding Syrian Pres Bashar al-Assad posed as women on Skype to steal Syrian opposition fighters' strategic battle plans; battle details that FireEye recovered are impressive, but it is not evident how or whether the information was used. MORE

Jan. 19, 2015

United States government was able to quickly identify North Korea as source of cyberattack against Sony Pictures Entertainment because of National Security Agency's careful infiltration of country's computer networks that began in 2010; previous spear fishing attacks with which attackers gained access to Sony computers were noticed but disregarded; some cybersecurity experts remain skeptical that North Korea is responsible. MORE

Jan. 17, 2015

Pres Obama and British Prime Min David Cameron, during meeting at White House, pledge to work together closely to confront growing extremist threat around the world; announce they will step up efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and training of Iraqi military to bolster fight against Islamic State. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

Pres Obama asks Congress to pass legislation to increase cybersecurity across government and industry. MORE

Jan. 13, 2015

United States Central Command's Twitter and YouTube accounts are compromised by hackers who claim to be part of Islamic State group, and messages sympathetic to group are published on accounts; breach is embarrassment for Defense Dept, and some critics question security measures Central Command has in place for their social media accounts. MORE

Jan. 8, 2015

Government officials and Federal Bureau of Investigation Dir James B Comey say they are sure North Korea was behind cyberattacks on Sony Pictures due to fact that hackers initially failed to disguise routing of attacks; Comey calls for declassification of information related to attack, as skeptics wish to see FBI's evidence. MORE

Jan. 5, 2015

North Korea denounces United States over its latest sanctions after cyberattack on Sony Pictures; repeats its denial of involvement in hacking Sony computers, and states sanctions will increase its intention to follow 'military first' policy. MORE

Jan. 3, 2015

Obama administration announces new sanctions against 10 senior North Korean officials in response to cyberattack on Sony Pictures; North Korea has denied any involvement, and Obama critics question whether there is enough evidence to place blame on the country. MORE

Dec. 31, 2014

Sony Pictures executives acknowledge that studio was slow to realize depths of security breach and let problems worsen by defending itself publicly only after colossal damage had occurred; company's first decision to treat attack as mostly internal affair reflects Hollywood habit and executive imperturbability of chief executive Michael Lynton. MORE

Dec. 30, 2014

Editorial warns that cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which Obama administration has blamed on North Korea, points to urgent need for improved cyber security; urges corporations and federal, state and local governments to redouble efforts to protect their networks; calls for Obama administration to take steps to prevent future attacks. MORE

Dec. 28, 2014

North Korea accuses United States of cutting off its Internet, while once again denying it had any part in cyberattack on Sony Pictures. MORE

Dec. 26, 2014

Sony Pictures begins screening its previously canceled movie The Interview at 331 small, independently owned theaters, many of which report sellouts; many movegoers seek to take political stand for free speech after hackers, traced to North Korean government, threatened violence against theaters which showed film. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Security researchers are increasingly voicing doubts about the United States government assertions that North Korea was behind the attack on Sony’s computer network. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Sony Pictures, in reversal, says it will release controversial film The Interview in small number of theaters on Christmas; will also possibly offer video-on-demand availability; comedy about assassination of North Korea's ruler Kim Jong-un had been pulled after hackers threatened violence against theaters that showed it; decision was criticized by irate Hollywood stars, free-speech advocates, and even Pres Obama. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

News analysis; North Korea's cyberattack on Sony Pictures illustrates absence of treaties, laws and best practices to deal with digital conflicts; United States took extraordinary step of identifying North Korea as culprit, but has refused to release details and has not claimed responsibility for counterattack; question remains whether ruler Kim Jong-un will back off or push forward with new attacks. MORE

Dec. 23, 2014

North Korea's Internet connection fails hours after announcement by Pres Obama that United States will retaliate for attack on Sony Pictures; cause of failure is unclear but could be attributed to several factors, including attack by US, interruption by China's state-owned telecommunications company, or preemptive measure by North Korea itself. MORE

Dec. 23, 2014

United Nations Security Council, for first time, holds briefing on human rights in North Korea, focusing on UN report into widespread and systematic abuses there; North Korea, despite struggling with Internet shutdown and spat with United States over hacking attack on Sony Pictures, renews threat of nuclear testing in retaliation. MORE

Dec. 22, 2014

David Carr The Media Equation column relates the circumstances surrounding hacking attack on Sony Pictures and its canceling of comedic film The Interview, about plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un; contends things have gone so deeply wrong so quickly, it is hard to keep track of all the mistakes; states move industry should rally and play the movie. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

Obama administration seeks help from China in blocking North Korea's ability to launch cyberattacks, first step in its response to attack on Sony Pictures; China's cooperation is critical, since virtually all of North Korea's telecommunications run through Chinese-operated networks. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

North Korea denies it had any involvement in cyberattack on Sony Pictures over movie The Interview, and warns of 'serious consequences' if United States retaliates. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column warns that lesson to take from hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment at behest of North Korean government is that privacy no longer exists for anyone in realm of electronic communications. MORE

Dec. 20, 2014

Pres Obama assures Americans that North Korea will pay a price for its cyberattack on Sony Pictures, but criticizes the Hollywood studio for giving in to intimidation by pulling The Interview before it opened; if Obama follows through on his threats, it would be first time United States has been known to retaliate for cyberattack on American soil. MORE

Dec. 20, 2014

Sony disputes Pres Obama's claim that company should not have canceled plans to release film The Interview in face of possible terrorist threat; studio's rebuttal follows wave of accusations that it had given in to extortionist demand from hackers; Motion Picture Assn of America chief executive Chris Dodd also condemns hacking. MORE

Dec. 20, 2014

Mike Hale Critic's Notebook column holds film The Interview is less about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un than it is a typical American comedy, making nation's response all the more surprising; says Sony should have never caved in to North Korea's far-fetched threats. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

News analysis; Communist nations of Cuba and North Korea are posing two different challenges for Pres Obama; holds that while Cuba is newest experiment in integration, North Korea is escalating confrontation with United States in innovative way with easily deniable cyberwarfare. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

Editorial understands Sony's caution in choosing not to release film The Interview after threats from North Korean hackers, but fears decision signals to future criminals that extortion works; calls on Obama administration and international community to develop and carry out appropriate response to cyberwarfare. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

Hollywood is scrambling to repair frayed executive, business and talent relationships that were bruised by cyberattack on Sony Pictures; North Korea is seen behind assault over canceled film The Interview, though prominent movie industry figures are scoring what they view as Sony's caving in to terrorist threats. MORE

Dec. 18, 2014

American officials conclude that massive cyberattack on Sony Pictures was state-sponsored action by North Korea; Obama administration has not publicly accused country or decided how to respond; North Koreans half-deny involvement; Sony cancels release of movie The Interview after threats are made to public safety. MORE

Dec. 18, 2014

Sony Pictures Entertainment drops plans for Christmas Day release of movie The Interview, which depicts assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, after receiving terror threat against theaters; movie has been at center of devastating hacker attack on Sony. MORE

Dec. 18, 2014

Nick Bilton Disruptions column notes hack of Sony's communications has provided cautionary tale that is causing many people in Hollywood and other companies to eschew emails and texts in favor of meeting face to face or talking on phone. MORE

Dec. 3, 2014

Security firm Cylance releases report that identifies Iranian hackers as source of coordinated attacks against more than 50 targets in 16 countries, many of them corporate and government entities. MORE

Oct. 31, 2014

Russia appears to be using updated techniques of Cold War signal-sending; breach of White House computer system points to Russia, and country also sent military flights along coast of Norway and provokes NATO forces; events seem to evoke Soviet Era when both sides probed each other’s defenses, hoping to learn something from the reaction those tests created. MORE

Oct. 29, 2014

Researchers at computer security firm FireEye say that hackers working for Russian government have for seven years been using sophisticated techniques to break into computer networks around the world. MORE

Sep. 2, 2014

Oregon-based SolarWorld Americas, largest manufacturer of solar panels in United States, asks Commerce Department to investigate claims that Chinese military personnel broke into company's computers and stole important business documents in long-running trade dispute; company proposes administration should impose tariffs to crack down on Chinese manufacturers benefiting from cyberwarfare and espionage. MORE

Sep. 1, 2014

North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders are expected to ratify a significant change in mission statement, expanding definition of an armed attack on any of the 28 NATO nations to include a cyberattack; fact that this is NATO's first tentative step into realm of computer conflict shows alliance's difficulties in innovating to keep up with modern warfare. MORE

Jul. 16, 2014

Officials report that Chinese hackers have infiltrated networks of United States Government Printing Office and the Government Accountability Office, indicating that they are turning their attention to more obscure federal agencies after years of cyberattacks on high-profile targets; sophisticated nature of attacks has led some American officials to believe Chinese government, through military or proxies, played a role. MORE

Jul. 11, 2014

Sec of State John Kerry, speaking at the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue, asserts that there is no United States strategy to be in conflict with China, and tries to press cyber-espionage as an important issue. MORE

Jul. 10, 2014

American officials say Chinese hackers broke into computer networks of United States Office of Personnel Management, which contain files on all federal employees, including tens of thousands who have applied for top-secret security clearances; it is not yet clear how far hackers penetrated the agency's systems before federal authorities detected the threat and blocked them from the network. MORE

Jul. 1, 2014

Private cybersecurity researchers say that Russian hackers are systematically targeting hundreds of Western oil and gas companies, as well as energy investment firms; intrusions give hackers opportunity to seize control of industrial control systems from afar, much as United States and Israel did of Iran’s centrifuges in 2009. MORE

Jun. 10, 2014

Report by CrowdStrike ties a hacker group in Shanghai to attacks on governments, contractors and research companies; it offers more evidence of breadth and ambition of China's campaign to steal trade and military secrets from foreign victims; National Security Agency and partners are tracking more than 20 Chinese hacking groups, over half of them units of People's Liberation Army. MORE

Jun. 1, 2014

Chinese officials are ramping up pressure on the United States government and large technology companies, following Justice Dept's indictment of five members of the Chinese Army on economic cyber-espionage charges, and calling for measures that are widely seen as retribution for Washington's latest charges; moves raise specter of a trade war and stoke anxiety among American companies that do business in China. MORE

May. 25, 2014

Newly filed government court document reveals prominent hacker Hector Xavier Monsegur provided trove of information to authorities, allowing them to disrupt at least 300 cyberattacks on targets that included United States military, Congress, federal courts, NASA and private companies; prosecutors are using document to seek leniency for Monsegur, who is set to be sentenced in federal court on hacking conspiracy and other charges. MORE

May. 25, 2014

Serge Schmemann Quick History column reflects on week's events, including Ukraine's presidential election, European Parliament elections, indictment of five members of Chinese military's for hacking by Justice Dept, gas accord signed by China and Russia, and surrender of Societe General rogue trader Jerome Kerviel. MORE

May. 25, 2014

Editorial argues that Justice Department's indictment of five Chinese hackers for fraud is a largely symbolic action that may undermine efforts to combat Chinese cyberattacks that cost billions in intellectual property and jobs; argues that Washington must keep diplomatic dialogue open even as it pursues the legal case. MORE

May. 23, 2014

Justice Department indictments of five men charged with hacking computers of American companies to steal commercial secrets offers glimpse into China's hacking world; many hackers employed by Chinese government are men in their 20s and 30s who have been trained at universities run by the People’s Liberation Army and are employed by state in myriad ways. MORE

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